• a wide array of activities that are action-packed, providing lots of choices and opportunities to challenge your child with countless opportunities for success, no matter the skill level.

• to move from comfortable, familiar, and functional physical education to movement education instruction that is rich with opportunities to engage in fun, challenging, and dynamic experiences.

• fun, movement and skill-based games, provided in a context of realistic situations that promote the skills of communication, cooperation and personal responsibility, while learning to apply critical thinking and problem solving; crucial life-skills that are necessary to allow all of us to think for ourselves and be productive human beings. Incorporating these skills in games is the perfect way to teach for transfer by providing children with a hands-on approach to practicing and learning skills of this nature.

• games that go beyond exhibiting rote memorization of performing skills to games and activities that present problems, thus requiring students to learn how to brainstorm, collaborate, put into action and evaluate strategies in order to be successful.

Classroom Procedures:

1: Restroom breaks: students may go to the restroom at any time during class without asking the teacher as long as he or she does not go when the teacher is giving instructions or somebody is currently in the restroom.

2. Water fountain usage: students may go to the water fountain at any time during class without asking the teacher as long as he or she does not go when the teacher is giving instructions or somebody is currently at each of the water fountains.

3. Entering/exiting the gym: each class will be assigned a blue boundary line to sit on when they enter and exit the gym. For example, students enter the gym every day and sit on the designated line assigned to them, then they repeat the procedure before they exit the gym. This habit ensures that there is not pandemonium at the beginning and end of class.

Physical Education Rules and Consequences:

1. Play safely and have fun.

2. Treat all others and equipment with the utmost respect.

3. No candy, gum, food, or toys in the gym at anytime.

4. Wear tennis shoes at all times.

5. Always maintain control of your actions.

Consequences that can be given when a student breaks a rule:

1. Verbal warning

2. Time-out from the activity

3. Trip to the principal’s office

4. Cleaning tasks while others play

5. Note home to parents

Paybacks System:

Consequences, other than verbal warnings, are given in the form of “Paybacks.” Paybacks are given to students after repeated warnings of breaking a class rule. If a teacher observes that a student is constantly being an interruption in the physical education class, then it is necessary that the student take some responsibility for his or her actions.

As a consequence, students will “pay” the teacher “back” by sitting out or doing odd jobs. These odd jobs may include cleaning gym baseboards, dusting, cleaning windows and doors, cleaning out or straightening up the equipment room, or any other jobs available in your gym. When given the option, most students would rather work than be sent to the office. No other people are involved, and students respect and appreciate the fact that the problem will stay between the teacher and the student.

Click on "Forms" to download a copy of the Mirror Lake Elementary Physical Education Curriculum. The lesson and games I implement are broken down into a K-2 and 3-5 Curriculum to meet the needs of our students various abilities, skill levels and age-appropriateness. I have also included my Essential Questions and Word Wall/Muscle Poster to address much of the terminology that is covered throughout the year.

NEWS: All 4th-5th Grade students will participate in the FitnessGram. The FitnessGram is comprised of 5 tests: 1. BMI, 2. Curl ups, 3. Push Ups, 4. Sit and Reach, and 5. PACER running test. Additionally, each 5th Grader will complete a pretest of the PACER test within the first month of school. The results of the FitnessGram will be sent home to the parents/guardians of each 4th and 5th grade student on the last day of school.